It’s amazing what good coaching can do. Basketball moves to 6-2 and looks better than CR’s teams despite the “lack of talent” we keep hearing about. Maybe effort should be included into the definition of talent? Maybe coach-ability should be included, too? Confidence? All these things are part of the picture. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but you see what I’m getting at. Beavs need to get past Grambling on Monday to setup a good test vs Depaul.

I think we’ll see the same situation play out with football. We hear next year’s team is a 3 or 4 win team. I think it will be more like 6 or 7 wins just due to the upgrade in coaching. At that point talent does become the limiting factor, but a good coach can maximize talent and double win total.

Looking at the schedule, I think the basketball team will win 12 games minimum and maybe even 15 if their skills and confidence continue to build. You can see in the players’ eyes they’re buying in and believing in themselves. Again, I think we’ll see all these patterns with the football team, too, and we’re seeing how it makes a big difference. It’s why I had zero fear about Riley leaving. Talent is a factor, and it become a limiting factor when your coach has maxed out talent. The problem is Riley only got ~70% potential (being generous) out of his guys and didn’t put them in optimal position to succeed, so there’s a lot left to mine.

Well that’s how you win championships. Melding high talent with excellent coaching. Right now the Beavs have some untapped talent on the roster to mine because Riley didn’t get the players’ best, and I think GA will maximize that. While he is doing that, he’ll also be recruiting better guys. Just like Tinkle is doing. It’s the blueprint for a major turnaround. CR and Riley didn’t get it.

concur. Even were the forthcoming class of recruits to drop off (measured by stars, native talent, or whatever–not that that is a foregone conclusion) but even if were to happen I think we get a 2-3 win upgrade with a good energetic coach utilizing the pre-existing talent previously recruited. I think 6-7 wins is what we’re looking at

yes there were a lot of folks at the game it got louder at some moments too but with these weekday night late games that are coming up it makes it hard to go 🙁 . stupid TV controlling the time of games

Riley developed talent was also part of the “lazy media narrative”…The media liked to portray that all of these recruits were awful until St.Riley touched they with his magic wand……most seasons the teams passed the eyeball test. Oregon St had plenty of athletes. Their was never a season where they were getting blown out every week like Wazzu, CU or Cal teams of recent vintage. BUT there were years where Riley lost to FCS teams and the P-12 bottom feeder of the season that cost bowl games and winning records. He had teams underachieve on the field of play.

Riley developed talent to a point. But not to their max potential. To get that final 20-30% out of a guy requires a skill set Riley doesn’t have, or the player to take it upon themselves (sometimes this happened, like Branden Cooks). Most players don’t have that intensity and self-determination and need the push, though. Maybe this even explains why Johnny Hekker became great in the NFL…I still can’t wrap my head around that one.

I rarely ever think to check the G-T, but there are some player remarks there, including Villamin stating he’s glad Andersen can appreciate Corvallis as a college town. Some excerpts:

“Andersen’s main themes of aggressiveness and toughness were well-received by junior-to-be safety Cyril Noland-Lewis.

“I can tell he’s a tremendous guy, right from the start,” said Noland-Lewis…

Defensive tackle Jalen Grimble was also delighted with Andersen’s message.

Grimble…received his first scholarship offer from Utah. Andersen was the Utes’ defensive coordinator at the time.,,,,

“They were my first offer, so it was big when they beat Alabama (in the 2009 Sugar Bowl),” Grimble said. “I’m ready for the same vision.

Just like Andersen, Villamin wasn’t sure why several media members were questioning the move from Madison to Corvallis.

Villamin didn’t see it as a downgrade.

“There’s nothing wrong with Oregon State, it’s just in the middle of nowhere,” said Villamin, a native of Fontana, California. “Everybody is family-oriented and everybody roots for the Beavers around here, so it’s a great place to play. That’s why I came here, and I’m glad he saw the vision, too.”

When you are from SoCal the entire state of Oregon is the middle of nowhere…LOL! LA County has 9 million people. That is more than any other state’s population from the Rockies to the Pacific. It’s crowded down there!

This, from the defeated Bulldogs HC:
“First and foremost, (Tinkle) gets his guys to play hard and compete,” Bulldogs head coach Rick Ray said. “That’s what you want to see if you’re a fan is a coach getting all he can out of his guys. That’s what he’s doing at this time.”

Hey, I’m watching the Oregon/Illinois basketball game……..I just saw Ahmad Starks clang a fall back top of the key three pointer of off the back of the iron that led to a Duck fast break basket. I had a brief seizure until I realized that orange uniform had nothing to do with Oregon St.

Former RB Malcolm Agnew (transferred to Southern Illinois) said he made a mistake transferring from the Beavers to the Salukis. He was injury prone, and in fact missed half of his senior season out with an injury. Not sure if he would have had that much better of a career as a Beaver, considering Ward and Woods seemed to be a little ahead of the little I saw of him play.

Game planning(schemes): Average / good
Game preparation(motivating & preparing players to execute the schemes): Poor/Bad
Game management: Awful

Bottom line, Riley has to have been got at something. I think developing talent is his biggest strength. But I think some of those fundamentals came at the expense of practicing game situations. Hence the penalties, procedural issues, etc.

Developing talent?? LOL This past year he had NO players on any all conference teams.

Evaluating Riley is to me a bit pointless. I felt he wasnt utilizing whatever talent he in fact had, these past several years. To me it seemed that he had given up and was just cruising on his long term contract. No one could get rid of him without making him rich…..but for some reason he left anyway…

I guess if you just HAVE to worship something you could go all ancient Egypt and worship the sun. Or native American and worship the earth. At least they’re both tangible, and you get to wake up and see them every day.

Yeah… and written words take a lot of the “mystery” out of the early church that was gifted to other churches by the old word of mouth thingy. And that cuts two ways for LDS. That most of the Book of Mormon is straight plagiarism of a couple other books doesn’t help much.

I would hardly say the cupboard is bare, it’s just…untapped. Hopefully fresh, unbiased eyes will see the talent and ignore the seniority. Thankfully Andersen is a defensive stud because that side of the ball is young with talented athletes, but not a lot of experience.

On offense, we have a good mix of size, speed, and experience, but that offensive line…it was really bad last year. And the year before. And they made Quizz leave. But as Wisconsin was known for great line play, hopefully he can shore them up as well.

It started as a short list of good returning players. Then it ballooned into “Who has a shot of playing next year, and what are their skills?”

Also just a way for me to get more acquainted with the team, considering a lot of those guys haven’t played much or at all. As it turns out, we actually have some athletes on this team; welcome to 2014!

Storm Woods – good all-around back, ran hard in 2014.
Chris Brown – speed plays well in spread option. Long runs imminent.
Damien Haskins – in space, will be a load to bring down; may take the contact to opponents; great additional function to backfield.

-WR- Could see 4 at a time, or somebody like Smith, Nall split out. All will benefit from more space, simplified passing game.

Hunter Jarmon
Jordan Villiamin
Richard Mullaney
Datrin Guyton

Andersen “If we have 4 or 5 receivers, let’s get them on the field.”

-TE-
Caleb Smith – will be required to play smart. Could split out wide.

-OLine: Again, competition, new motivation. This unit will improve markedly.

Two more things about Andersen in looking at next year: (1) he supposedly has a pipeline to Polynesian players, and (2) he’s known too frequently bring in JC transfers. Who knows who he’s got stashed at JCs out there ready to transfer in to fill holes.

Personally, I think the best answer is that Riley and staff are exceptionally good at developing and maximizing their players’ talent (if not their in-game execution). IMO his biggest strength as a coach.

I think he also did a good job of identifying talent. We’ve always seemed to find a lot of talent that flew under the radar for some reason. Further, the success rate of the more desirable players that we did land (high 3* or 4*) is exceptionally good. I can’t think of a highly touted bust under Riley (not counting academics).

That being said, the knock on Riley is that we couldn’t ever land enough of the proven talent. We rarely beat out other schools for a player, and there’s only so many under-the-radar guys out there.

Coaches them up, ok maybe. But not enough high star incoming talent to adequately judge that high star aspect = recruiting fail. And cant so easily whitewash the consistent high star non-qualfiers. And then look at how well the guys that went pro look vs what they were able to demonatrate under riley. IMO Riley was great at making good players look bad (Mannion, Anderson, Hekker, Remmers, etc.) But sure, maybe he had a hidden talent of making bad players look average.

But none of that excuses complicated playbooks which make questionable talent look stuck in quicksand, and thus unable to timely make the play reads on all sides of the ball.

Here’s the thing though. Riley can’t be bad at everything. He won too many games for that. I’m trying to break down the fundamental strengths/weaknesses.

Looking at your list of “good players that look bad”:

At QB I think the complex playbook is the main issue. Also I’ll believe Mannion can be successful at the next level when I see it.

Hekker and Remmers…right now I suspect that O – line and ST have the worst teaching coaches on the old staff. There’s a theme with consistently awful play from both units – at least for the past 6 years.

I see 14 wins approximately. I don’t see them stealing a game from UCLA (2), Washington (2), Arizona (2), Stanford, Cal, or Utah, and I wouldn’t bet on Colorado. But they can likely split with Oregon, grab two from Wazzu, grab two from SC, grab one from Arizona State. Otherwise, I think the talent gap is a bit too much and the road factor would play into it.

I also am hoping they take it one game at a time all the way to 10-2 through nonconference play. If by same grace of God himself they grab those 6 games, snipe Colorado at home, they would be 17-13 through conference play. Is that worthy of NIT? I don’t want to get too ahead of myself though.

That’s woefully optimistic however. Tinkle is SUCH a good coach that he has me believing they’ll win every game that they should, and some they shouldn’t (what a crazy proposition, I know). It ain’t always pretty but they are terrific defensively and can get buckets when they need them. I’m hoping for no major injuries that would kill depth or anything like that. Realistically, I’m thinking 15-15 with a surprising win and probably splitting with a weaker team.

Tinkle said in the presser that Reid has a lot of good qualities (which he does), but one he said was a good handle and I was like stop lyin coach. At least twice a game he dribbles off his foot, dribbles off his leg, someone slaps it from his hand, he loses it randomly, he drives into help side defense, basically he makes a poor error and his poor ball handling shows mightily. He has me on edge the entire time he has the rock. Strong and athletic guy, very tough to watch. I almost hate watching him as much as I watched Joe Burton play. Burton couldn’t even jump over a phone book so I really didn’t like him.

Do Vegas sports betting houses do over/unders on season wins for college teams? I heard a lot of talk about 6 wins in TOTAL for this team and was curious as to where that number was coming from? If so, a lot of under bets are history!

I went back and reread your synopsis on last years recruiting class. I remember hearing so much about Ryan Nall and “how good and talented” he was. We had a handful of 4* guys. Yet only Xavier Hawkins saw the field? WTF? Either those guys are not 4* talent, they were underutilized, or our previous coaching staff were village idiots. I’m sorry, but if you’re OSU and you’ve got 4* talent, you better find a way to get those guys on the field.

I have limited knowledge about player development, but I always wondered why programs around the country have true freshmen and JC transfers starting and excelling at skill positions, but it rarely happened at OSU. I guess Riley’s complicated offfense? I’m also guessing that could be changing going forward.

I may dislike Mariota, well because he’s a duck and I hate ducks (you can thank my family and the media for that) but I can’t say anything bad about him. He has done everything asked of him and then some. He stayed out of trouble and humble and was a helluva player on the field. The class move was OSU saying what they did in that link. Let me ask you this. Had an OSU player won that same trophy would we have seen a similar response from UO? The answer to that is no. Someone just would have showed up at the ceremony with a sign and yelled GO DUCKS! That was my point. Hope that wasn’t lost

It’s a class move but it also tells Uck fans everywhere that OSU already had a Heisman winner, too. BDC is a crafty one here by revisiting history with Terry Baker, as most Uck fans probably don’t know about that

“”Hopefully early next week we’ll have the opportunity to start throwing some names out there of guys who are in for sure. There are guys I feel very good about coming here, but I want to do it the right way.

“I don’t want to rush through the process. When you’re a university like Oregon State, you have a tremendous chance to hire some of the best in the country. I’ll go out and do my best to do that.”

So, maybe early next week will have a thread on assistant coaches? I don’t think we’ll see Ludwig.

Regaring home game attendannce, I wonder if next year we’ll see some genuine sellouts at Reser? When I listed to the pre-game for the CW they said that tickets were still available and were encouraging fans to buy them up. Stanford, UCLA, UW seem like the best bets for sellouts.

Agree wtih Angry that OSU needs to really improve its marketing (which has been obvious to everyone but them), but they also need to improve the game day experience. Now is the time to seize on the momentum and think about focused messages and recommendations to drive these points home to BDC and Massari.

I think that is well deserved. I felt like the wide receivers overall got better throughout the season. I’m kind of excited to see what they can do if they don’t have to run 25 yard crossing routes while Mannion is getting sacked.

The author’s tone speaks to something the press seemed reluctant previously to express. Can we stand up now when the OSU D is on the field and it’s third and long or fourth and goal on the 1?

The speculation about Keeton or Vernon Adams transferring in, or Beau Baldwin as OC (which I don’t see happening), is interesting, but I’m not sure how I feel about a QB coming in for one year. It has the potential of providing more effective offensive implementation (Keeton), and building momentum. But I’m not sure I like the “hired gun” approach. Maybe one of these two think a step up and more exposure gets him a look from the next level. I don’t know. I suspect neither Keeton or Adams is pro material, but hope springs and all that.

I do expect that whoever becomes second string will get developmental, game time reps when appropriate.

It’s interesting that this speculation is out there regarding bringing in a proven dual-threat QB, whether it happens or not it sounds like it is being considered. You know GA has been looking at personnel and trying to figure out ways NOT to go 3-9 next year. First season impressions are important no matter where the current reality might be at. .If he gets this team to a minor bowl game next year, it is going to increase his stature ten fold.

I agree. Baldwin as OC makes sense. OSU would be able to pay him 500K a year. Bring Vernon with you and he can get a 50K signing bonus for the first year. I’d pay Aranda 600+K.

Vernon under a first year Gary Andersen HC at Oregon State would get a ton of press. He could drastically increase his odds of a NFL signing with Pac-12 success and his national awareness would skyrocket.

And I have nothing against Mariota. It’s actually pretty amazing the amount of good press OSU got from that “classy” move. I see more stories about it on twitter than I see about Mariota winning the damn thing. try searching “Oregon state” amd you’ll be amazed at the quantity of hits that term has gotten today. Way more than even the day Gary Andersen got hired. I guess it was a good move marketing wise.

Angry – next thing we (angrybeavs) need to go after is all the cheesy stuff they do at the football games. I’ve taken a few buddies to games over the years who are alums of schools with big time footballprograms and some of the stuff we do is flat out embarrassing. AngryBeavs should put together a list of things they should change or get rid of within the gameday experience. Then you could compile all of the suggestions and send to Massari.

Here’s a start:
Inflatable helmet (I know VFC renovation will remove this but why continue for next season)
Noiseless Fireworks with piped-in sound (please use fireworks with REAL noise)

1. The fireworks. The screeching sound is not pleasant and corny. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some noise complaints from the community…I’d recommend the sharp, loud fireworks that really make you feel it. Or how about a deep steam whistle as opposed to Oregon’s horn.
2. The band; Maybe it’s just me but opposing bands sound louder from the new side. Find a way to muffle them and amplify ours. Also, they always leave before halftime which always feels so weird. Players still on the field, band should be playing until after the halftime whistle is sounded, PERIOD>
3. The flannel/plaid field goal coverings felt patronizing. This is a school about hard work and toughness, not some gimmicky marketing that made me cringe at its relations to a bunch of faux woodsmen hipsters.

How about recording at high quality a beaver chewing on a cottonwood or alder, including the tree hitting the ground. Amp it up, speed it up, that will be intimidating: “And there goes the chewing Beaver Jim, which means it’s third down in Reser! Can they get a stop here, this play is huge!” Then if they get the stop…drop the tree.

Immediately references Terry Baker, which is so long ago it seems kind of unnecessary and could be construed as “we got one too”…the whole “we know what it takes” message seems a bit far-fetched at this point but still a nice thing to do.

A simple “Congratulations Marcus, from Oregon State” might have been better….

He always seemed to take pride in the College Town atmosphere but bought in to the “more with less” and “how does Riley do so well with these lousy facilities”. Maybe Jim Wilson will weigh in and sway Parker further. Wilson has been absent so far but he has seen (and verbalized) the Riley shortcomings, gotta believe he’ll do the same with the positive changes we all expect.

Matt Leinhart won a Heisman in large part to USC being absolutely loaded offensively. I sound like Riley cause I’m not a huge fan of a player that you like? Nice logic there. How do you know he has savvy play btw? You can tell his “savvy” by high school highlights? The yardage record thing is impressive but that doesn’t automatically mean he’ll be a big time college QB. If he ends up being really good then good for him but I have doubts.

Saw Angie had a quote from his dad. Basically saying theyre going to wait to see who Wisconsin hires and then make their decision quickly after that. I’m assuming he means he’s interested in who the OC will be since we already know theyre hiring Chryst. Sounds like Beaver football could be unrecognizable to most of us next year on both offense and defense, which is all I could ask for. I just want it to be entertaining again.

Also, regarding the idea of Keeton or Adams transferring, I just dont see it. Maybe if the Beavs had a complete team and QB was the missing piece, but why would anybody transfer in for their final year to a team is learning a new system under a new coach. Would be a waste of their final year.

That’s good. Chryst is going to run the old style Wisconsin offense. He might not even want AK since he’s not a fit for that offense. OSU is going to be a better fit. I think GA will lure him. Closer to home, more open offense, better coach.

I’m sure the players would love reading that you think they have 3 or 4 win talent next season. Why don’t you just predict 0 or 1 wins and make sure Gary Anderson wins national coach of the year when we win 6 or 7 games. Personally I thought we could be better next year regardless even before coaching change. Should have better line play on both sides of ball if healthy. Also was never a mannion fan. Not a spread fan but like a quarterback who at least isn’t a statue.

The prediction of very few wins isn’t an indictment against the players but of Mike Riley. Furthermore, if they read this blog I’d hope they’d use it as motivation to do better…but they folded like bad hands against the Pac-12 for the last 5 years.

An indictment of Riley for sure. If Jerry actually believes a QB with little to no game experience in Riley’s system, and a fairly new group for Banker to hand jive would win more than 4 games next season then he is among a very small minority. Even factoring in the very special special teams coach, hard to believe.
A coach who doesn’t sleep walk his way through the games will get better performance from these guys.

with Riley next year was a 4 win (+/- 1) season; if I had had to bet the house a 3 win season– 2 non conf. games (one of which wouldn’t have been Michigan) and 1 conference win; likely Colorado. With the upgrade in talent at coaching I see a 6 win season (+/- 1).

Anyone know of Fill Knight is a Lions fan and was at the game yesterday? Or maybe there’s rattlesnakes in the Detroit area and his buddy was sucking out the poison after he’d been bitten? On the menu at Ford field, tossed salad

Oh just that he’s saying he wanted to go to Lincoln, and town he never went to and has no association with, instead of admitting his seat at OSU had a Molotov cocktail under it. I’d have a lot of respect for Mr. Nice Guy if he said, “Look, they wanted me to fire some of my assistants, and I thought they were great coaches, so we all packed up for a job that opened up.”

(3) Nebraska job will “probably energize me in a way.” Translation: he had read about himself in the AngryBeavs blog. So true: even he realized he had run out of steam, all the while the band of Emerson Lake and Palmer, err Schnell, Jaynes and Goe played on.

Open practices may be more limited under Andersen, so says a Badger writer interviewed by Gina.
Not a bad idea, IMHO, though I still hope Silver and/or Bone will be able to get some access and pass along good info.

in the wake of Riley’s departure he was advising OSU commits to abandon ship, reciting the now dying narrative about who might replace St Riley. I don’t read Goe and Nemec any more, and you know what, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.

Jay Mohr is a total asshole. Hated when he was on SNL, had a stupid show on CBS, and guy is totally unfunny. Don’t care what he says about OSU because he’s probably never seen Corvallis, much less been to Oregon.

“Offensive line coach T.J. Woods and defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a (pictured above) are certain to join Andersen in Corvallis, according to sources,” reports the Wisconsin State Journal’s Andy Baggot.

There a scout article that mention they didn’t know about Seumalo yet. Said something to the effect, “Oregon State will have one Polynesian coach in Kauha’aha’a, but they could have 2 if they retain Seumalo” Then they go on to talk about Seumalo’s coaching career and his son. Really nothing concrete in their article.

I think Isaac stays unless his injury is still not healing in time for next year. Doubt he gives up 1 of his final 2 years of eligibility. However, if the injury is still a problem, and he thinks he’ll have to sit out next year anyway, he could go anywhere for his final year.

I can’t see Isaac leaving because his dad wasn’t retained. It’s Riley’s fault for leaving Joe high and dry. I am thinking Joe sticks around in Corvallis due to his family. Maybe he takes on a high school job or be a graduate assistant for a year like Bray did a few years ago.

Not as “in your face” as maybe I shouid have been.
Tumwater Dave had said that he felt alone in Oct/Nov in defending OSU/Corvallis and pointing out how unfair and detrimental the put downs were. I just said that he was not alone back then, that many Angry Beavs were in the same boat.
I feel Parker knows what we are about here, he didn’t give much specific response.

So I just watched some of the Ohio St vs Wisconsin game. It was like watching Banker vs Wisconsin. Had me a little worried, although I know some people say that game was an anomaly since Anderson already had a foot out the door.

Seems that most of the teams Wisconsin had success against were dissimilar to Pac-12, in offensive style. Are we sure Aranda’s system is capable of beating the spread teams we’ll be facing?

Wisconsin: CoachingSearch has learned that Paul Chryst will indeed be the Badgers’ next head coach. Human resources has to take its course. Pitt defensive coordinator / linebackers coach Matt House is expected to follow Chryst, but not as the defensive coordinator. Pitt offensive coordinator / tight ends coach Joe Rudolph will also be a part of Chryst’s staff. Rudolph previously coached at Wisconsin from 2008-11 as tight ends coach.